Tales of Romance
by Smurf2005
Summary: On Hiatus. This is all the romances I was able to pick up while playing the game. All are either innocent romance or unrequited love! I apologize for misspellings. I will edit it later when I have more time.
1. Anise and Peony

A/N: Hello everyone! I have a brand new _Tales of the Abyss _story for you! This came to me as I was finishing up the game. And as soon as I finished, I busted out my laptop and started to write this. I finished this pretty quickly. I am happy with myself! I am just a little confused about the ending of the game though... Anyways, there will be spoilers in this story. So, if you haven't finished the game or haven't played it yet, then do not read any of my chapters. Let me explain about my story. All the chapters have something to do with the different romances that I picked up in the game. Some chapters will be innocent romance like this chapter, and others will be unrequited love. I currently have twelve chapters planned and half of them are unrequited love. Anyways, this first chapter is Anise and Peony, and I got the idea during a side quest. Oh, by the way, all of the chapters take place either during the game, post game or pregame. I will let you know beforehand. This chapter is post game. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Tales of the Abyss. _Sadly, Namco has the rights to it.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter One: Anise and Peony- The Emperors Love<span>

Six years had passed since the defeat of Van Grants. Anise Tatlin had just turned nineteen and was currently in Grand Chokmah. She was visiting the world as the first female Fon Master, just like she had told Jade six years ago the night before the last battle.

Anise was standing in front of the Palace. It looked the same as always. She smiled to herself as she walked up to the doors. The last time she was here, Peony had hit on her and named one of his rappigs after her. She was only sixteen at the time. But, she wasn't here to visit. She was here on official Fon Master Business. She wanted to make sure the replicas that were left behind were still doing okay. As she walked into the Palace, she was greeted by one of the servants. She was told that the Emperor was in the Audience Hall. So, she climbed the stairs and the doors were opened for her.

She walked up the throne he was sitting on and she bowed.

"Hello, Your Majesty. How are you feeling?" she asked.

She looked up at him and wasn't surprised to see that he hadn't changed much. The only difference was that he had a few more lines and wrinkles. And he still wasn't married. She thought that was a shame. After all, she thought he was so handsome.

"Ah, Anise! How nice to see you again!" Peony said. "My, you are much prettier than the last time I saw you!"

"Emperor, I am not here to visit. I have important matters to attend to," Anise said.

"Why so serious, Anise?" Peony asked, with some concern.

"I am just checking to see how the replicas are doing."

He chuckled when he heard what Anise had come for.

"You traveled all the way from Daath to Grand Chokmah just to check on that? I know as Fon Master, you must be busy. You could have asked in a letter, but you came here to ask me personally. You must have some sort of ulterior motive for coming here."

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"I am actually travelling all over to check on all the cities and see how things are going. This was just my first stop."

The Emperor smiled mischievously.

"Well, how about you stay the night here in Palace and we will go out to eat tonight."

At first, Anise was going to decline, but then she thought about it. If she stayed in the Palace, she wouldn't need to pay for a room at the inn, and she wouldn't have to buy dinner either. Peony would see to that.

"Okay, that sounds good," Anise agreed.

"Great! I will have the servants take you to your room so you can rest! I will come get you when I am ready to eat!"

Anise allowed herself to be ushered to a bedroom with a big bed, covered in the Malkuth color of blue. The sheets were satin, and she loved the way it felt beneath her hands. As she was left alone, she sighed and sat on one of the blue couches in her room. What was she going to do? She was in love with Emperor Peony. But, she couldn't let him know about her feelings. After all, she was the Fon Master and he was the Emperor of Malkuth, and way too old for her. She didn't really care about his age and for once, she didn't care about the money. Ever since she was thirteen, the feelings were growing inside her and she didn't even realize the moment she fell in love with him. It just happened for her. It was different from the way she felt about Ion and the other guys of her group. She only wanted to marry Guy and Luke because they had money. She eventually gave up on Guy because he was afraid of women. So, she set her eyes on Luke, but eventually, she gave up on Luke, too. He only loved Tear, and she could tell that Tear loved him, too. She sighed again as she fell sideways on the couch.

She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake gently by Peony.

"Rise and shine, cute little Anise!" Peony said, in a slightly sing-song type of voice. "It is time for us to go eat dinner."

Anise sat up and rubbed her eyes like a little child. It took a couple moments to figure out where she was. Then she stood, and after adjusting her Fon Master robes, she followed the Emperor to a little restaurant located in the middle of the city. It looked like all the nobles frequented this tiny shop.

"I wonder if we will see Guy," Anise wondered out loud.

"Hmm? No, you won't see him. He is on a mission to Kimlasca for me," Peony said.

They were seated at nice quiet table in the corner of the room. When it came time for them to order, she didn't know what to get, so she let Peony order for her. Anise was right in letting him choose for her. The entree he picked for her was so good, that she was sad when she finished. The entree was followed by a banana split.

After they were done eating, they went for a little walk, to let the food digest. They stopped on a bridge and looked at the water surrounding the city. They were quiet for a moment when Peony spoke.

"It has come to my knowledge that you just a birthday. How old are you now, Anise?" he asked.

Anise was a little startled that he knew her birthday was just last week.

"I'm nineteen now, Sire," she said.

They were quiet again before Peony broke the silence.

"Do you remember six years ago when I told you that I may date you when you hit nineteen?" he asked.

Anises heart started to beat fast. Of course she remembered that! How could she forget?

"Yes, I remember that. We had to beg you for a sword. At the time, I thought you were just joking around with me."

"You're right. At the time, I was. But, over the years, something changed. I was able to watch you mature from a vivacious thirteen year old to a beautiful nineteen year old."

Silence fell between them again. Anise was struggling with what she wanted to say to the Emperor. Half of her was telling her to go for it, and the other half was telling her not to say anything. She closed her eyes and scrunched them up tight and opened her mouth to speak.

"Emperor Peony, I have had feelings for you for a long time now. I'm not sure when it happened. But, what you said to me six years ago stayed with me. At night, when I couldn't sleep, all I would here was your voice."

Peony turned to look at Anise. He grabbed her chin and turned her face toward him gently. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I have a gift for you," Peony said.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box and handed it to Anise. Anise opened it eagerly and found a necklace, with a small scale of the Malkuth symbol hanging from the chain.

"Wow! It's beautiful!" Anise said, unhooking the clasp.

"It was my mothers," Peony said, taking the necklace from Anise and putting it on her. "And now I want you to have it."

Anise grabbed the pendent that was hanging from the chain. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"I will treasure it forever," she said.

* * *

><p>AN: What did you think? Anise may seem out of character, but she grew up... People change as they grow older. I do hope you enjoy my story! Next chapter is Anise and Jade! Please read and review. As always constructive criticism is welcome but flames are not.


	2. Anise and Jade

A/N: Hello all! Here is chapter two and it is... Anise and Jade! This chapter has the same concept as chapter one, but it is slightly different. I hope I was able to get Jade's personality down. He is hard to write. I thought the chapter title was perfect for this chapter, since in the game he was thirty-five and Anise was thirteen. I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, but I will post every chapter I have done. So, say I finish five, six, and seven before my next post date, then I will post all three at the same time. I think it will save me a lot of hassle and stress. Also, I have been listening to the music off the sound test that came up after I beat the game. I really like the songs "meaning of birth" and "mirrors". They are great. By the way, this chapter is post game! Anyways, enjoy chapter two!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Tales of the Abyss._ Namco owns it. If I owned, I would have Jade all to myself...

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Two: Anise and Jade- I'm not too Young!<span>

What he was doing in Keterberg, she didn't know. He usually didn't show up in his hometown. Anise Tatlin trudged through the snow, bundled up in a nice warm jacket Peony had given her when she stopped by the Palace. Peony had told her that Jade Curtiss was in Keterberg, visiting his sister. So, the reason Anise was walking through snow was because of Jade. She hadn't seen him in a few years, and she missed him. She missed his cold, snide remarks. And the only reason she chased him down to Keterberg was because she was in love with the man. The last time she saw him, she was fifteen, and she told him that she loved him. Jade had come to visit her in Daath and to congratulate her on becoming the first female Fon Master. That's when she confessed to him, and in front of a bunch of people, too. He seemed shocked at first, then gave her one of his cold condescending smiles and told her that she was too young. Here it was, three years later and she was now eighteen. Anise was going to show Jade that she wasn't too young anymore. She knew it would be two more years before her Coming of Age ceremony, but she wasn't about to give up. She was going to get what she wanted.

She stopped by the Keterberg Hotel and thought about where it was he would be. As Anise thought, she heard a familiar voice behind her. It wasn't talking to her, in fact the voice didn't seem to realize that she was there. She turned around and saw Jade talking to his sister. They had come out of the Hotel. Nephry looked like she was about to burst, as she was pregnant, and the man behind them must have been Nephry's husband. As Anise looked at the trio, it made sense to her. Nephry wanted her brother there for the birth of her child. She was gazing at them when Jade spotted her. He stopped and stared at her. Nephry, noticing that her brother was distracted, looked around for the cause. She saw Anise and her face split into a wide grin.

"Fon Master Anise! It is so nice to see you here! What do I owe this great pleasure?" Nephry asked.

Anise didn't answer right away. She didn't know if she should say she came to see Jade or not. But, she decided on the truth.

"I came to see Jade. Emperor Peony told me that I might find him here," Anise said.

Well, Fon Master, I would like you to be a guest in my house, just like my brother," Nephry said, her eyes twinkling.

"I would be delighted, Governor Nephry," Anise said, bowing slightly.

"Have you eaten yet, Fon Master?" Nephry asked.

"No, not yet. And please, just call me Anise like you used to."

Nephry smiled and said that she would have a maid make her something and bring it up to her room. When they reached Nephry's house, Anise was shown to a room, and told that a maid would bring her a bowl of soup soon. Anise looked around the room she would be staying in. The walls were an eggshell white, the carpet was an off-white color, and the covers on the bed were a silver-white color, almost like the snow outside. There were also a couple arm chairs that were a crimson color, the only real color in the room. Anise went over to the bed and ran her hands over the bedspread. It was silk. She smiled and threw herself face down on the bed.

"I see you haven't grown up any," a condescending voice said to her.

Anise pushed herself up onto her knees and looked toward the door. Jade was leaning against the door frame looking at her.

"I have grown up plenty, Jade! I'm not that little girl you used to know!" she said.

"Oh, I beg to differ," Jade said, pushing away from the door frame and started walking toward her. "You see, you always used to do that with silk and satin bed sheets. I haven't seen you in three years and you show up here, in Keterberg, looking for me. If Emperor Peony did indeed tell you where I was, then you must have gone to Grand Chokmah, and when you realized I wasn't there, you must have used your cuteness on him. And here you are now. Standing in a room in my sister's house."

Anise was quiet after that. Jade seemed more cold than usual. He walked over to an armchair and sat down, crossing his legs. She was watching him. She really didn't know what to say to him. He raised his hand to push his glasses up as a maid knocked on the door.

"Fon Master, I bought you a bowl of soup like the Governor asked me to," she said.

"Oh! Thank you so much!" Anise said, smiling.

She took the bowl from the maid and the maid left, bowing. Anise turned toward Jade to see that he was staring at her.

"Maybe you have changed a little. But, tell me Anise. Why are you here in Keterberg?" Jade asked.

"I-I wanted to confess my feelings again," Anise whispered.

Jade sighed as he stood up. He walked over to the door and turned around to face Anise.

"And I told you three years ago that you are too young," Jade said, rather coldly.

"I am not too young anymore, Colonel! I am eighteen! I am old enough for you now!" Anise cried.

"Anise, there is a twenty-two year gap between us. There is no way it would ever work between us."

Anise let her anger get the best of her, and she ended up throwing the bowl of hot tomato soup at Jade. She was aiming for his head, but it hit him in the chest. He cried out in pain as the hot liquid seeped through his blue Malkuth Military uniform. A red puddle was staining the white floor of her room. Nephry came running toward the room to see what was going on. Jade had his jacket off, a white t-shirt on underneath, stained with tomato soup, and Anise stood by the bed, crying.

Anise pushed past Nephry and Jade, ignoring Nephry's cries for her to come back. Anise ran out the door and up toward the town square. She sat on a nearby bench and watched the children throw snowballs at each other. She continued to sit there, long after the children had gone home. Tears fell silently from Anises eyes. The snow fell softly from the sky, dotting her dark hair with the white flakes.

"I do have one question for you though, Anise," a male voice said, a few feet behind her.

Anise jumped and turned around to see Jade standing there. It looked like he was wearing a dark blue sweater under his jacket, but the lower half was still his military uniform.

"What's your question, Colonel?" she asked, focusing on the statue in the middle of the Town Square.

"Why do you love me? I could never figure it out. Everything on our journey I was able to figure out and understand. But, this is something that has caught me off guard."

Anise smiled sadly as she turned around to look at Jade.

"That, I cannot really say. Maybe I loved your snide remarks, or the way that you always teased us. Maybe I loved everything about you. Love isn't something that just happens overnight. It started to grow when we started traveling together five years ago. But, I do not have a reason as to why I still love you, even after you rejected me."

She turned her back on him once again. The snow started to fall a little thicker, but Anise still sat on the bench. Jade walked around the bench to sit next to Anise. He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. Anise knew what the gesture meant, but she didn't say anything to him about it.

"Sorry about throwing that tomato soup at you, Colonel," Anise said, a little ashamed.

"Oh, it didn't hurt that much," he answered.

They both laughed, and the laughter of the lovers disappeared in the silence of the night as they sat side by side.

* * *

><p>AN: Well, what did you think of chapter two? I hope you enjoyed it. I had it planned from the beginning that Jade would have hot soup thrown at him. I actually wanted Anise to dump it on his lap, but, I thought throwing it would be better. He he. Anyways, please read and review. As always constructive criticism is welcome but flames are not. Next chapter is Anise and Florian!


End file.
